Broad Peak Avalanche Search Paused Amid Avalanche Risk

The Story

The search for the bodies of three climbers missing after a deadly avalanche on Broad Peak has been suspended due to the continuing risk of fresh avalanches. The operation is set to resume once weather conditions improve. The remains of Pakistani mountaineer Sohail Sakhi and two foreign climbers are among those being sought. Earlier, the bodies of renowned climber Nirmal Purja and four other foreign climbers were retrieved. These climbers' bodies were flown to Islamabad for repatriation to their respective countries. The avalanche occurred on Broad Peak, a mountain in the Karakoram range. International human rights watchdogs have called for the scrapping of recent restrictions imposed on foreign media outlets operating in Pakistan, terming the new government guidelines an attack on press freedom. These new restrictions were circulated widely over the weekend. Previously, only foreign citizens working as journalists were routinely subject to controls on movement. The US State Department will vet the social media accounts of foreign journalists applying for visas to work in the United States, according to a media report. This initiative, cited in an internal memo, requires applicants for many visa types to provide access to their social media accounts. The search for bodies on Broad Peak has been paused. The mission is expected to resume once the weather improves.

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